Development opportunities in the land management process in Rwanda
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AKADEMIN FÖR TEKNIK OCH MILJÖ
Avdelningen för industriell utveckling, IT och samhällsbyggnad
Development opportunities in the land
management process in Rwanda
In order to achive a more effective and efficient land use
Elin Ericsson
Albin Lindberg
2018
Student thesis, Bachelor degree, 15 HE
Study Programme in Land Management
Degree Project for a bachelor of Science/Technology in Land Management/Surveying
Supervisor: Märit Walfridsson
Examiner: Jesper Paasch
Assistant examiner: Apostolos BentekasAcknowledgements
First of all, we would like to give thanks to Stefan Svenson at Lantmäteriet in
Gävle for directing us to our contact person and supervisor in field, Seth
Muhawenimana. Without the help from Stefan, we wouldn’t have been given
the opportunity to write our thesis in Kigali, Rwanda. Also, we would like to
give thanks to SIDA, without the MFS-scholarship we wouldn’t have been able
to visit Kigali and conduct this study. An even greater thanks to Seth
Muhawenimana who welcomed us to Kigali without hesitating and helped us
out in this study. A special thanks to Märit Walfridsson, our supervisor back in
Sweden, who during this time supervised us and made an effort in
communicating with us although the far along distance.
And last but not least, we would like to give a big thanks to all our loved ones
back home who always, and not just during this time, supported and believed
in us.
Elin Ericsson & Albin Lindberg
iii
Sammanfattning
Ett välfungerande fastighetssystem är ett kriterium för att ett land ska ha goda
möjligheter i den samhällsutvecklingen. Denna studie tittar på en av
utvecklingsmöjligheterna i Rwandas fastighetssystem och framför allt
tillhandahållandet och uppdateringen av landets hantering av
markanvändningen. Problemen i Rwanda beskrivs som en kombination av
bristande kommunikation och kunskap från myndigheter och befolkning.
Metoderna i denna studie utfördes i form av kvalitativa intervjuer i
kombination med en litteraturstudie. Detta för att få fram den fakta som
krävdes för att kunna besvara forskningsfrågorna. Syftet var att hitta någon
skillnad mellan Rwandas Master Plan och den fysiska verkligheten och kunna
presentera förslag på utvecklingsmöjligheter för att få en effektivare och
ändamålsenlig markanvändning i Rwanda. Tanken var från början att utföra en
jämförelseanalys men när metoderna utfördes visade det sig att det inte var
möjligt att utföra jämförelseanalysen, istället blev det aktuellt att göra en
litteraturstudie i kombination med intervjuer för att kunna besvara arbetets
forskningsfrågor.
Resultaten från metoderna presenteras i två steg, först resultaten från
intervjuerna och sedan presenteras resultatet från litteraturstudien. De olika
intervjuerna gav liknande resultat i de fyra huvudkategorierna vilket gjorde att
slutsatsen blev uppenbar. Rwandas land use planning law måste ses över och
the Ministry of Lands and Forestry har som det ser ut nu bristande möjligheter
att förhindra olaglig och oönskad markanvändning.
Nyckelord
Fastighetssystem, Rwanda, markanvändning, Master Plan.
iiiAbstract
A well-functioning property system is a criterion for a country to have good
opportunities in social development. This study looks into one of the
development opportunities in Rwanda’s real estate system, especially the
provision and the updating of the country’s management in the land use
process. The problems in Rwanda are described as a combination of lack of
communication and knowledge from the authorities and the population.
The methods in this study conducted of a qualitative interview combined with
a literature review. This in order to gain the fact needed to answer the
research questions of this study were the aim was to find some difference
between the Master Plan and the physical reality and suggestions in how to
establish effective and efficient land use in Rwanda. At first the study aimed to
perform a comparative analysis but while performing the methods it was
showed that the comparison method was impossible to go through with,
instead the study got depended on a literature review along with interviews to
be able to answer the research questions of the study.
The results from the methods are presented in two steps, first the results from
the interviews and then is the results from the literature review presented.
The different interviews gave similar results in four main categories which
made the conclusion obvious. The land use planning law needs to be reviewed
and that the Ministry of Lands and Forestry have a lack of concrete tolls and
power to prevent illegal land use.
Keywords
Land management, Rwanda, Land use, Master Plan.
ivTerms
Districts The provinces in Rwanda are divided
into a total of 30 geographical and
administrative districts and these
districts consist of a number of bureaus
with their own specialty such as land,
heath, infrastructure and more.
Land administration How the rules of land tenure is taken
care of, applied and used by both
government, authorised and citizens.
Land management The process in how to get an effective
land use.
Land use The way the property of land is taken
care of and been used both for society
as well as the individual.
Ministry of local government Each district I controlled by a ministry
of local government.
National land use Master Plan Rwanda’s National Land Use Master
Plan, in this thesis called Master Plan, is
covering the land use in Rwanda. The
legal plan in how the land should be
used and developed. The Master Plan is
legal binding.
Provinces Rwanda is divided into five different
provinces by area, north-, south-, west-
, east- and Kigali city province.
Real estate/ property system In this thesis, real estate- and property
system is defined as the same.
Registrar of land The registrar of land work under the
Ministry of Local Government on a
district level with questions concerning
property changes, land use changes and
other cadastral approvals. This person
receives and approves the documents
from the sector level.
vSector The districts is divided into a total of
416 geographical and administrative
sectors.
Sector land manager Each sector has one Sector land
manager who deals with all incoming
document from the citizens in that
particular sector.
viTable of contents
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. i
Sammanfattning ................................................................................................ iii
Abstract ............................................................................................................ iv
Terms ................................................................................................................. v
Table of contents.............................................................................................. vii
1 Introduction................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Background and justification .................................................................... 1
1.2 Research problem ..................................................................................... 1
1.3 Research objectives .................................................................................. 2
1.3.1 General objective ............................................................................. 2
1.3.2 Aim and research questions ............................................................. 3
1.3.3 Limitations ........................................................................................ 3
1.4 Previous research ..................................................................................... 3
1.4.1 Land reform, land scarcity and post conflict reconstruction a case
study of Rwanda ............................................................................................... 4
1.4.2 Administration of land problems and disputes in peri-urban areas
surrounding Gaborone, Botswana ................................................................... 4
1.4.3 More previous research ................................................................... 5
1.5 Disposition ................................................................................................ 5
2 Theoretical background .............................................................................. 7
2.1 Rwanda National Land policy ................................................................... 7
2.2 Land sub-sector strategic plan of Rwanda ............................................... 8
2.3 Rwanda’s land use planning law .............................................................. 8
2.3.1 Purpose with the law ........................................................................ 9
2.4 Rwanda national Land Use and Development Master Plan ..................... 9
2.4.1 The Master Plans purpose .............................................................. 10
2.5 The legal perspective from changing land use ....................................... 10
2.6 Official registration of land in Rwanda ................................................... 10
2.7 The Mission and Vision of the ministry of Lands and Forestry in Rwanda
11
3 Research method ...................................................................................... 12
3.1 Interviews ............................................................................................... 12
3.1.1 Data collection ................................................................................ 12
3.2 Comparative analysis ............................................................................. 12
3.2.1 Data collection ................................................................................ 13
3.3 Literature review .................................................................................... 14
3.3.1 Data collection ................................................................................ 14
3.4 Case study area ...................................................................................... 14
3.5 Data analysis .......................................................................................... 14
3.6 Data collection challenges ...................................................................... 15
vii3.7 Ethical considerations ............................................................................. 15
3.8 Sustainable development ....................................................................... 15
4 Results ...................................................................................................... 16
4.1 Interviews ............................................................................................... 16
4.1.1 Master plan .................................................................................... 16
4.1.2 Land use planning law .................................................................... 19
4.1.3 Land use registration ...................................................................... 20
4.1.4 Land management process............................................................. 21
4.2 Literature review .................................................................................... 23
4.2.1 Agriculture policy in Rwanda .......................................................... 23
4.2.2 Policy reforms and rural livelihoods sustainability ......................... 23
4.2.3 Access to Microcredit for Smallholder Agricultural Producers in
Rwanda 24
4.2.4 Land record and administration in a post-conflict country ............ 25
5 Discussion ................................................................................................. 26
5.1 Discussion of the chosen research methods ........................................... 26
5.2 Discussion of the results ......................................................................... 27
5.2.1 Research question 1: Is there a difference between Rwanda’s
Master Plan compared to the physical reality and, if so, how do they differ?
27
5.2.2 Research question 2: How can unwanted land use change be
prevented through improved property information and improvement of the
processes that involve land use change? ....................................................... 28
6 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 31
6.1 Research question 1: Is there a difference between Rwanda’s Master
Plan compared to the physical reality and, if so, how do they differ? ................ 31
6.2 Research question 2: How can unwanted land use change be prevented
through improved property information and improvement of the processes that
involve land use change?.................................................................................... 31
6.3 Summary of conclusions ......................................................................... 32
6.4 Recommendation for future research .................................................... 32
7 References ................................................................................................ 33
8 Appendices ................................................................................................. 1
8.1 Appendix A................................................................................................ 1
8.2 Appendix B ................................................................................................ 2
8.3 Appendix C ................................................................................................ 3
viiiix
1 Introduction
The introduction chapter retains an overall background review of Rwanda and some
of the country’s history. This is followed by the research problem, research
objective, aim and research questions of this study, limitations, previous research
and a short description of this papers structure.
1.1 Background and justification
This study looks into the development opportunities in the management regarding
registration of land use that Rwanda stands before. Although over 90% of the
population in the country earn their livelihood directly from land, the issue is poorly
managed. The agriculture in Rwanda represents a total of 52% from the total
surfaces of the country. Along with a steady population increase in the country that
contributes to increased housing demand, problems arise when the agriculture has
to be used for other utilities such as housing, infrastructure and other purposes. If
the land registration isn’t updated correctly, problems arise when these interest
cross (Republic of Rwanda, 2004). When investigating the aim of this study, this
will have a great impact.
Furthermore, Rwanda is described as the most densely populated country in Africa,
which makes the land in the country a critical resource. A combination of this, along
with that the majority of the population earn their livelihood directly from land, has
made the importance of land a major part of the vision developed in the country’s
land policy by 2020. The most important foundation in the country’s sustainable
development has been declared as land. As this vision was established in 1999, the
government of Rwanda has introduced laws, regulations and other instructions that
all aim to improve the property system in the country (Policy Notes, 2011).
1.2 Research problem
Rwanda has a tragic history of civil war and genocide. In 1994, the latest genocide in
the history of Rwanda took place, a genocide that caused the life from more than 1
million tutsier (Levande historia, 2014). This has scared the country in more ways
that can be explained, one of the terrible disasters is that the country lost almost a
whole generation to the genocide and that has contributed to that over 50% of the
population today is under 25 years old (Globalis, 2017). According to senior advisor
at Lantmäteriet in Sweden S. Svenson (personal communication, 12 October 2017),
Rwanda hasn’t that much trouble with the real estate registration as one might
think, despite of the genocide Rwanda have manage to develop in this area fast and
is ahead of a lot of other African countries. The problems faced by Rwanda are
1described more as lack of knowledge among the citizens. Despite the fact that the
land register in Rwanda is containing information over land use, this isn’t correctly
updated; one factor may be that the authorities don’t reach out with the message
about the importance of a functioning registry to the ones using it. Some of the
citizens do not register their land ownership and land use changes which becomes
problematically. S. Svenson tells that there is a possibility that they instead of
conducting a proper execution, where the purchase of land use changes and changes
in property ownership are recorded, this is done by agreement between the parties
without professional impact. This believes S. Svenson will lead to problems for both
future and current owners of the properties unless this is managed correctly. An
additional aspect might be the fact that it costs money and a lack of knowledge
makes this seems unnecessary bureaucratic (S. Svenson, personal communication,
12 October 2017).
1.3 Research objectives
The single greatest resource in most countries is described as land, this is also the
case in Rwanda. Economic growth is commonly based on the question of land and
how it is managed. The consequences for not administrate these questions in a
country is many, among them is the government taxes, poor infrastructure,
shortage of housing and bad security regarding proper owners as well as land use.
The government as well as the citizens there for are affected by these problems and
will benefit from a proper land management. There is no simple cause or simple
solutions to this but it’s such an important area to tackle and it needs to be done
from several levels and orientations (Nkwae, 2006). This study has done a research
in one of the important parts of this bigger problem that B. Nkwae (2006) describes.
If there where one less problem among the land use management, this would give an
even bigger opportunity in developing in further step.
1.3.1 General objective
The general objective of this study consists in the benefits of a well-functioning land
management system. In order to gain economic growth and establish trust among
citizens. In centuries, real estate and legal systems have evolved and eventually have
gotten their unique design (Riekkinen, Toivonen, Krigsholm, Hiironen, Kolis,
2016). The things we know today about the real estate system may not be as obvious
tomorrow or something we even knew yesterday. This means that a property
system should always be constantly changing to meet today’s needs as well as the
needs of the future. Even the systems that are considered to be at the forefront are
also in need of constantly evolving as society is in constant development (Reikkinen
et al., 2016). This study will look into what opportunities in developing Rwanda’s
2real estate system are facing, and, above all, possible improvements in the country’s
land use management process.
1.3.2 Aim and research questions
The purpose of this study is to create conditions for Rwanda to be able to streamline
and ensure the land use. The expected results in the study are first of all to find
concrete differences in physical reality and the Master Plan, second to present some
relevant development opportunities in the processes that address land use change.
The result of the study is achieved by analyzing the answers to the research questions
presented below.
Research questions
• Is there a difference between Rwanda’s Master Plan compared to the
physical reality and, if so, how do they differ?
• How can unwanted land use change be prevented through improved
property information and improvement of the processes that involve land
use change?
1.3.3 Limitations
These are major questions to be investigated in this study only. To ensure that the
study can be carried out within the timetable that’s been set, some limitations have
been made. The comparison in whether the land use differs physical versus the
Master Plan will be limited to certain area orientated by our contact person Seth
Muhawenimana. The interviews have been limited to those who work with land use
planning at the Ministry of Land and Forestry in Rwanda. To be able to answer
research question number two with concrete suggestions of improvements the
interview questions were limited to three main subjects, Master Plan, land use
planning law and land use registration. Without this limitation done, the study
would have been too extensive.
1.4 Previous research
This subchapter mainly contains a presentation of two earlier studies in the area to
guarantee that this project is a current issue that should be investigated. At the end
of this chapter, a summary of five articles is presented as further previous research.
These articles are then thoroughly presented in the result chapter as a result of the
literature review.
31.4.1 Land reform, land scarcity and post conflict reconstruction a
case study of Rwanda
An article by Huggins and Musahara (2004) describes the challenges Rwanda faces
regarding the new country policy, Huggins and Musahara writes about 10 future
recommendations in order to implement a new and improved land reform. The
article provides several concrete examples and recommendations on what’s going to
be required combined with the introduction of the new land reform. The new land
policy provides improved economic development in society and an improved
agriculture, but the introduction also generates a number of challenges and risks.
This land policy should therefore not be implemented on a compulsory basis. The
government should ensure that it does not contribute to increased landlessness,
there for it is strongly recommended to include those who have been suffering from
land loss because of the civil war. For example, civilian organizations should be
involved in the process and implementation of land policy, in order to bring in
aspects from all social parts. Huggins and Musahara also concludes that more
research on the effects of HIV and AIDS has an impact on purchases land and, if so,
this in that case requires changes at political level. A functioning strategy at both
regional and national level is a criterion that should be introduced as soon as
possible. Introducing the new land policy in Rwanda will be a huge challenge, in
order to streamline its implementation; Huggins and Musahara suggests that this
should be done in steps. The government should focus the introduction in a limited
area in order to evaluate what could have been better. This in order to apply the
land reform to a greater extent with better results the following time (Huggins and
Musahara, 2004).
This study will look more closely at further improvements that lies ahead in
developing Rwanda’s real estate system, and what Huggins and Musahara (2004)
describes as a need for an expanded composition in the country committee, where
representatives from all society parts will be involved in the decision making. An
inspection of the different stages will provide a wider understanding of the
challenges in Rwanda and hopefully indicate suggestions in how to achieve more
efficiency in the land management process.
1.4.2 Administration of land problems and disputes in peri-urban
areas surrounding Gaborone, Botswana
In a previous study, Molund and Vestin (2014) wrote a similar thesis also
concerning land management but in Botswana instead of Rwanda. The purpose of
the study was to describe and identify the land related issues and related disputes
that could be in two selected peri-urban areas. The administration of the two areas
was studied to get a conclusion if any improvements could make the administration
4of land any more effective. For those land related problems, their literature review
and case study showed similar results. Disputes for those who are entitled to the
land were usually due to multiple transfers or illegal settlements. The administration
of the problems differed between the two areas. In one area, they patrolled the area
to reveal illegal settlements. In the same area, they wanted to reduce number of
disputes entering the legal process, so they adopted an approach with alternative
dispute resolution to reduce the number. Molund and Vestin wrote that it seemed
that the poor record keeping was the main cause for the land problems that occur in
the selected areas. Further they explained that they believed both board members
and officers, by training methods of alternative dispute resolution and adopting an
approach that resolve disputes before becoming a legal matter, will not only save
time but also reduce the costs in land administration.
1.4.3 More previous research
This subchapter is presenting a summary of the previous researches that is more
closely presented later in the result chapter as a result of the literature review.
Huggins (2010) wrote an article about the policies that the government in Rwanda
has launched were its decided what and where a specific crop should grow, this
depends on what the government feel most suitable based on economic grow,
climate and the season. This is further investigated by Pritchard (2012) where he
explains how the large-scale reform helps the government to control and manage
the agriculture and this helps to control Rwanda’s soil erosion and the population
pressure in the country. Along with this, an article by Vishwanatha and Mutamuliza
(2017) is pointing out the small farmers disability to gain microcredit of their
property. The article further writes about the importance for these small farmers to
gain microcredit and how this makes a huge impact on their income and possibility
to earn a living. Small farmers income and their food security is more presented in
an article by Habyarimana and Nkunzimana (2017) where a Land Use Consolidation
programme that’s been introduced in Rwanda is investigated.
1.5 Disposition
This thesis has been structured according to IMRaD with an extra chapter
concerning the theoretical background in chapter two. Chapter two will present a
basic background from the history of Rwanda as well as basic knowledge from their
land use administration and management process. Chapter three will present the
chosen methods and strategies in this study as well as problems that appeared while
performing the methods. Beside this the chapter contains ethical consideration and a
description of in what way this study will have sustainable development in mind. In
5chapter four, the results from the methods will be presented. The discussion in
chapter five, the results will be analyzed along with a reflection on the chosen
methods. The research questions will be answered in the conclusion in chapter six
along with suggestions on improvements and some recommendations for future
research. At the end, all above chapter’s references are presented in a reference list.
62 Theoretical background
The theoretical background consists in representing necessary background
knowledge in the study to gain the most relevant information about Rwanda’s land
use planning law, land management and the administration of land. There were
discussions about also practice a legal method in order to investigate the land use
planning law in Rwanda and to be able to notice if there are any possible difficulties
and in that case, be able to present some development opportunities. The
theoretical background will cover that, this study will depend on an overall
knowledge of the land use planning law and will not depend on representing the law
in total. In this study, the theoretical background consists in guttering relevant and
necessary information about the land administration in Rwanda to be able to answer
the research questions.
The literature gathered, where closely analysed and read, compared and valuated.
This was especially compared against the answers from the interviews and the
literature review which both are described in chapter number three. The findings
were later proven necessary in the study when presenting possible suggestions in
development opportunities.
2.1 Rwanda National Land policy
Land administration in a country is for registration, dissemination of information
and land transactions, this process of using the land is described in Rwanda’s
National Land Policy according to Republic of Rwanda (2004). The process includes
both announcement of rights, land description and land ownership. A good
structure of land management indicates;
• Property protection for the individual
• Security of property tax that indicates income for the government
• The property can act as security when the owner transcript for a loan
• Safe process in property transactions
• Protects public and private urban areas and ensures the efficient use of the
country’s land resources
• Improves planning and development of infrastructure
The administration of land in Rwanda is based on an improved ordinance that
includes mapping of all land and registration of it. Rwanda’s real estate register will
ensure stability in society by protecting public interests and investors.
Encouragement of the population to participate in the process will be introduced.
7This in order to create greater trust in the system’s legal certainty and use. The
government’s goal with the new land policy was to secure the ownership of
property owners in Rwanda, while at the same time providing land management in
the country with more efficient management and rational use. The policy was
intended to provide guidance in future land reforms (Republic of Rwanda, 2004).
2.2 Land sub-sector strategic plan of Rwanda
The components of an increasing population and inheritance practices have resulted
in a separation of land parcels especially in the agriculture (Ministry of Environmant
and Lands, 2010). This have made the government concern that the agriculture isn’t
handle as it could and should be handled. The agriculture becomes more ineffective
if the area is to small, that indicates that they can’t support the households with
crops as it wishes. This is the biggest reason why the government don’t allow any
form of land use changes in land meant for agriculture. Instead the government
urges the applying to buy land in the nearest village. All of this, the demographic
pressure along with that the population grows even more and the none acceptance
from the government in change of land use, have made the people do this aside from
the government’s notice according to the Ministry of Environmant and Lands.
Besides that the households rent and borrow land from each other instead of buying,
the local land markets are highly active. The overexploitation of land and its
resources have led to deep modifications in land use which escalates with the
population. Since all land use in Rwanda isn’t registered correctly, the ones who
suffers from it is the owners who can’t benefit from their ownership and the local
authorities can’t get the taxes they supposed to. Beside the National Land Policy and
the new land law the government also increase a program of land tenure reform to
ensure the security for all citizens and especially the poor and vulnerable people.
The goal is an efficient and safe system of land administration and land management.
Although this in particular is for the poor it is also a great benefit for the multi-
sector, cause when the safety in real estate owners goes up, the more investors in
sectors of trade, infrastructure and agriculture. Besides this the local authorities will
be given the proper taxes when the improvement of land use management is being
done (Ministry of Environmant and Lands, 2010).
2.3 Rwanda’s land use planning law
This study will only be concerned by Law N°24/2012 of 15/06/2012 Relating to
the planning of land use and development in Rwanda. A short description of the law
is follow:
82.3.1 Purpose with the law
The purpose with the law is to govern the planning of land use and development in
the changes of land use in Rwanda according to the Land Use Planning Law (2012).
This is described in four different main objectives. First, it’s to ensure direct
methods to determine, coordinating, monitoring and compare the planning of land
use in order to develop on every level towards sustainable and equitable social,
economic and environment development for the generations to come as well as the
current. Second is to establish principles and ensure that the land use and
development protects the natural resources in Rwanda in order to allow for a
balance in nature, land use and biodiversity. Third is for the management of equal
rights of accessing benefits related to the planning of land use and development. Last
is a description of the transparent decision making. Which will include all Rwandans
in the land use process to get all perspective in order to determining, processing,
evaluating, revising and validating according to the Land Use Planning law.
The Land Use Planning Law describes land as ¨surface area with biodiversity like
humans, animals, different plants and non-biodiversity like rocks, buildings, various
infrastructures, rivers, lakes as well as the sub soil and its atmosphere¨.
The fundamental principles are to manage to contribute the sustainable development
for the benefit of the future as well as the present. The land use must handle the
gender considerations are described in the law. The land use must try to minimize
the development of energy and natural resources on land. The planning of land use
must prioritize density and multi-family residential located in urban or rural area.
The land use has to exclude urban sprawl, advocate mixed zoning and coordinate
land use. In order to minimize distance between work and household the land use
must integrate land use such as residential, commercial, light industrial and so on
(Land Use Planning Law, 2012).
2.4 Rwanda national Land Use and Development Master
Plan
On 19th January 2011 Rwanda’s Mater Plan got approved by the cabinet. The
Master Plan had been prepared from August 2007 to August 2010 before it got
approved (Milindi, D., Rutagengwa, F., Kayonga, L., Urayeneza, L., Munyaneza,
L., Nyamarere, J.C., Nsabimana, E., Muhawenimana, S., Kuradusenge, J.M.V.,
Uwizeyimana, C., and Zirimwabagabo, L. 2017). The Master Plan is a legal binding
document who is public available at the Land Use Planning Portal according to S.
Muhawenimana, Land Management specialist (personal communication, 14 April
2018).
92.4.1 The Master Plans purpose
The acceptance of the Master Plan in Rwanda is according to the Land Use Planning
Law (2012), based on a presidential order that’s shall determine the plan to guide
the enforcement of land use planning at a national level. The Master Plan in Rwanda
have to; confirm with the rest of what’s written in the Land Use Planning Law,
design the land use in each specific area according to their special needs and
resources. The plan must also give guidelines to those who practicing the land use
management and provide to the national visions, policies and strategies affecting
land use and development (Land use planning law, 2012).
All the administrative entities shall monitor that the master plan is followed
according to the Land Use Planning Law. The minister is the one that monitor the
compliance of public institutions with principles written in this law, in order to
secure the Master Plan on a national level.
Beside the Master Plan every district in Rwanda shall prepare their own specific
Master Plan which is based on the districts development plan. The district shall also
prepare an individual urban development plan also based on the districts own
resources (Land use planning law, 2012).
2.5 The legal perspective from changing land use
To change the land use in Rwanda it is a must to apply and get an approval from the
competent authority according to the Land Use Planning Law (2012). The one who
wishes to change the land use of a piece of land in Rwanda must apply with an
application in writing. Then the ministerial order shall accept or reject the
application based on the modalities of change of the use. Whether the application is
accepted or not the competent authority shall base: on what’s written in this law,
the Master Plan, other guiding’s in Rwanda’s land use or other plans such as
building plans and adopted plans. If there is any other law and plans that’s applicant
in the matter, this should be considered. As long as the plans are not revised, they
remain valid even though the plan has been adopted before the publication of this
law (Land use planning law, 2012).
2.6 Official registration of land in Rwanda
Rwanda’s government has launched a land registration program in the country
where the idea was that the right owner should be registered at the right property.
Although the government has introduced laws and regulations that deal with the
issue of land ownership in the country, knowledge has not reached the citizens of
the country and there are still major shortcomings in the real estate registration
(Kairaba and Daale Simons, n.d.). According to L. Lindgren, team leader at the
10Ministry of Lands and Forestry, lent as an expert from Sweden, all land in Rwanda is
registered. The register contains of registered area, land use, owner and the
cadastral number. This information is governed by the Ministry of Lands and
Forestry and is also public available, it can be reach using computer, cellphone or
any technical advice that can handle the internet service (L. Lindgren, personal
communication, 14 April 2018).
2.7 The Mission and Vision of the ministry of Lands and
Forestry in Rwanda
According to the Ministry of Lands and Forestry (2017) the general mission for the
Ministry of Lands and Forestry in Rwanda is to ensure protection, conservation and
development in land and forestry in the country.
The Ministry is first of all responsible for:
Develop and secure the policies, laws and other strategies programs that aim at
ensure optimal and rational land use. Second is to evaluate all human resources
capacities in the sector of land and forest. Third is to monitor and develop the law,
policies and other strategies and programs in order to ensure a sustainable land use.
Fourth is to give guidance and oversee the institution and supervision to promote
synergies between various actors and intervening in the sector. Last is to mobilizing
resources for the development to promote rational utilization in the sector in order
to ensure investments and development in the sector (Ministry of Lands and
Forestry, 2017).
113 Research method
In order to collect the information that’s needed and be able to answer the research
questions of this study, the work was depended on interviews and a comparative
analysis. While performing the methods it was showed that is wasn’t possible to do
the comparative analysis and a literature review was used instead. These three
methods are detailed described below.
3.1 Interviews
When performing the interviews, a qualitative method was used. A qualitative
method according to Biggam (2015) is evaluative, comparative and contains text
data as opposed to the quantitative method that uses numbers and statistics to obtain
a conclusion. As the subject concerns questions that in some respects may be
difficult to find in a purely literature study, it became relevant to ask the questions
that Biggam (2015) describes as qualitative, where the questions usually begin with
“why” and “what does this mean”. This to get the answers that hopefully gives a
wider understanding in the subject.
3.1.1 Data collection
A constantly communication was mainly held with S. Muhawenimana from the
Ministry of Lands and Forests in Rwanda, the supervisor in field in this study.
Interviews were also held with three of S. Muhawenimanas coworkers at the
ministry who works with land use planning. The choose of respondents were based
on their main specialty and were contributed by S. Muhawenimana. More
interviews weren’t possible because of the time set, the Ministry of Lands and
Forestry was in the upcoming in reviewing the financial cost in order to implement
the new Master Plan which made their employees unavailable. The interviews
consisted of a total of 13 main questions and some more under questions. All
interview questions were concerning the three most relevant objectives of this study
and were divided into three groups and some general questions. First the questions
concerned the master plan, then the questions was about the land use planning law
and to finish it up the last part of questions concerned the land use change
registration. The answers collected in the interview become relevant in order to get
perspective and to be able to answer the research question number two as detailed
as possible.
3.2 Comparative analysis
A comparative analysis in this study never got relevant though it was impossible to
perform, either way a description of how the comparative analysis was supposed to
be performed is described in this subchapter. A comparative analysis is described as
12a comparison between two things; the ground for the comparison should be
explained in order to make a reliable research study. The pick of comparison
material shouldn’t be picked randomly; there should be an issue of two conflicted
sides (Walk, 1998). The comparison in this study was supposed to be between the
physical land use related to the Master Plan in order to notice any differences and to
be able to answer research question number one. Question number one is if there is
any differences between the Master Plan and the physical reality and if so, how it
appears. The answer from research question number one was necessary to be able to
present in what way unwanted land use can be prevented through improved
property information and improvement of the processes that involve land use
change in research question number two.
3.2.1 Data collection
The material for the comparison of the Master Plan to the physical reality was
supposed to be contributed by S. Muhawenimana. The comparison was supposed to
be done with satellite photos compared against what’s decided in the Master Plan in
order to notice any eventually differences. The idea was that material for the
comparison should have consist of the Master Plan over Rwanda’s land use and
development combined with satellite photos. The choose of material was indented
to be contribute by S. Muhawenimana though it was considered to be the most
efficient comparison, in his opinion the comparison with the land register would
have been too difficult to manage because of the big range (S. Muhawenimana,
personal communication, 14 April 2018).
The differences that appeared were supposed to be recollected and obtained. First of
all, the comparison would have tried to notice any differences between where in the
Master Plan it was meant for agriculture and if the area in that case also in reality
was in fact agriculture, if the land was build that had been obtained as a differ. The
study wouldn’t have tried to compare if in reality the agriculture was forest, pasture
or something that in a satellite photo seemed like agriculture. The comparisons
focus would have been the land and whether if it was meant for agriculture and if in
that case in reality was used for buildings and other exploitations such as factory,
asphalts roads etc. That would in this comparison been recollected as a differ.
Another aspect would have been to decide in what scale the differ actually was a
difference that should have been recognize in the study. In order to specify that the
comparison was depended on measuring the object that didn’t match the Master
Plan and decide if the differs was big enough to count as a difference. To be able to
do that, there would have been a need of guideline from our supervisor in field to be
able to establish how these differ is noticeable for him and the Ministry of Lands and
Forestry. The study never got to this part because of technical problems with the
Land Use Planning Portal that was supposed to give access to the Master Plan.
13According to S. Muhawenimana, there was no other way for this study to get access
to the Master Plan and it was unknown when the Land Use Planning Portal would
start up again (S. Muhawenimana, personal communication, 5 May 2018).
3.3 Literature review
When it got clear that it wasn’t possible to perform the comparative analysis in this
study, a literature review was used instead. A literature review is described as an
overview in a specific topic of prior researches to show the reader what is already
known about the topic and what is unknown according to Denney and Tewksbury
(2012). They further describe that the literature review notice and present the topic
in order to present why the subject is in a need of investigation (Denney and
Tewksbury, 2012).
3.3.1 Data collection
The literature was depending on previous researches in order to present what is
known about the land management in Rwanda today, how is the land use questions
and changes manages today and what problems is presented. This in order to get
perspective and an overview of the subject. In order to find trustworthy
information, the literature consist mostly of science articles find in Discovery with
access through the University of Gävles database. The search words in the database
that was used was “land use Rwanda” in order to get relevant hits and presentable
literature.
3.4 Case study area
The study took place in the capital of Rwanda, Kigali. Kigali consists of five
difference provinces and Kigali City is one of them. The interview was held in Kigali
city and the comparison analysis would have been located by our supervisor in field
S. Muhawenimana. The Master Plan is for the whole country but only a chosen area
was supposed to be represented and put against the satellite photos in the
comparison analysis of this study. The study wasn’t able to perform the comparison
analysis, although it is considered that the interviews brought the study a broad that
give the study a wide that covers the whole Rwanda. The interview along with the
literature review gave the study a depth that gave the study a result that’s both
reliable and meaningful although the comparison analysis wasn’t performed.
3.5 Data analysis
The answers from the interviews along with the results from the comparison
analysis was supposed to be put together in context in order to answer the two
14research questions as detailed as possible. Instead the results from the interviews
along with the literature review had to answer the research questions of this study.
3.6 Data collection challenges
The most critical aspect in the chosen method was the comparison analysis who was
supposed to be based on a comparison between the Master Plan and satellite photos.
This method was depended on the satellite photos contribute by our supervisor in
field and the age of these photos was unknown. The critical parts were beside the
quality of the satellite photos, the actually comparison and in what way we were
able to know the differences between the Master Plan and the photos we were
given. These aspects were out of our control. If the satellite photos had been too old
or in another aspect un useful, the comparison analysis would have been used
Google earth instead. As it turned out, the major collection challenges was in fact to
get access to the Master Plan and this challenge made the comparison analysis
impossible to perform. Besides this, there was awareness that it could have been
fewer corporations while performing the interviews than expected and in that case,
S. Muhawenimana would have been the one the interviews would have applied to
and along with the literature review it was consider that either way, the research
question would had been answered.
3.7 Ethical considerations
A big amount of consideration was given to the ethical aspect that was involved
when performing the study in Rwanda and both authors lacked similar experiences.
It was important to show consideration for both the new culture as the new custom.
More directives and knowledge in this was before departure given in the form of a
preparation course. The course was held by Sida Partnership Forum in Härnösand
and included issues related to cultural meetings, health and safety as well as
information on Swedish development cooperation and different countries (Studera,
2017).
3.8 Sustainable development
The university of Gävle is committed to sustainable development and is an
environmentally certified company. Of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development
Objectives, this report was mainly concerned by numbers 11, sustainable cities and
communities and number 12, responsible consumption and production. By studying
the land use in Rwanda, targets 11 and 12 that are sustainable cities and
communities, as well as sustainable consumption and production was affected.
154 Results
In this section the results from the methods will be presented. The results from the
interviews is divided into four different categories, Master Plan, the land use
planning law and land use registration plus one subchapter from the information
gathered from an interview with an expert from Sweden, who works at the Ministry
of Lands and Forestry on provision about the land management process. The results
from the comparative analysis is presented in a subchapter, where the Master plan
was supposed to be compared to the physical reality, instead the study got depended
on a literature review which is presented last in this chapter.
4.1 Interviews
To be able to content views from the ones in Rwanda who actively deals with this
sort of questions in their work, a number of interviews with various experts from
the Ministry of Lands and Forestry in Rwanda were performed. After the last
interview, it was established that the answer’s that was given had a similar main
objectives, more interviews was there for considered unnecessary, and within the
time schedule that was well addressed. The interviews that was made is presented in
this subchapter. The subchapter consists of four different parts and the parts are
divided into subchapters as well, to get a better view from the perspective from
each interview in the four subjects.
4.1.1 Master plan
4.1.1.1 Interview with Land Use Planner
Four interviews has been conducted and one of them was held with a land use
planner at the Land Management and Use Authority. He is constantly dealing with
the Master Plan in his work and he describes that he practice the Master Plan
elaboration by providing technical support to district or any other institution if that
is requested. The interview was constantly bringing up that the most common land
use problems that appear based on the Master Plan is the lack of provision of enough
basic facilities while planning ignorance of current situation and population
projections. The land use planner isn’t handling the appeal of the Master Plan in his
institution but he is although familiar with the aspect and the difficulties appearing
when approaching the Master Plan. To prevent the problems from appearing, it is
suggested to go to the source of it and reduce the cause and that may be done by
comprehensive planning. Although he is aware of some illegal land use changes in
Kigali it’s not his place to take action in any way. In his working area this isn’t given
any effect, but it does affect the land use development in Rwanda because the work
done by the planner is nothing when it’s not implemented. To prevent this there has
to be respect of the laws and regulation regulating land use planning. The biggest
16cause of disputes is described as legal missing points as well as government issues. A
badly manage of protection of agriculture during the Master Plan elaboration is
mentioned. The ministry doesn’t take action when land use changes are taking place
on land that is meant for agriculture but they intervene in cases of illegal forest
removal.
4.1.1.2 Interview with Land Management specialist
Another interview was held with the supervisor in field of this work, who’s a Land
Management specialist at the Ministry of Lands and Forestry in Rwanda. In his work
he practice the Master Plan by preparing the Master Plan at a national and local
level, monitor the implementation of those Master Plans to be able to confirm and
reassure that every activity must follow the Master Plan. The most common land
problems appearing based on the Master Plan the interview describes as the
incompliance of land use plan implementation with the plan. When approaching the
Master Plan, old plans in every district must match and one of the difficulties that
appears is when the plans isn’t following the National Land Use Master Plan and the
ministry has to advise institutions to match them. To make sure the future plans
matches the National Land Use Master Plan the institutions in Rwanda constantly is
reminded that every new adopted plan must follow the national one. Other than
that, he wish to solve these sort of faults ever closer by inspections and monitoring
of the Master Plan implementations and addressing the issues of incompliance.
There is awareness that there are illegal land use changes in Kigali such as places
being constructed while they are reserved for forestry in the city of Kigali. This is
recorded by monitoring the implementation of the Master Plan and actions that can
be done is simply to advise the institutions to respect the Master Plan. These sort of
illegal land use changes generates in conflicts of interest for anyone who wants to
implement an activity which is not in compliance with the Master Plan. The effects
for the land use development in Rwanda when illegal land use changes appear is
described as consequences in land scarcity, as everyone somehow need to use land,
and a lack of land management. To prevent this it is suggested to use powerful
monitoring and auditing the implementation of the Master Plan and this because the
biggest cause of disputes in the land use changing process is pointed out as conflicts
and interest. If the Master Plan isn’t adopted correctly and followed by all institutes
there will be a lack of agricultural land as it is affected by those illegal changes and
that’s one of the biggest problems appearing since for example, Rwanda is the most
populated country in Africa.
174.1.1.3 Interview with Professional of Land Use Monitoring and Evaluation
Interview number three was held with a professional of land use monitoring and
evaluation at the Ministry of Land and Forestry. The Master Plan is practice in the
way as regularly do monitoring of the Master Plans implementations, this is done by
comparing the reality on field realizations with the plan of implementation by
checking the compliance of urban plans with the Master plan Guidelines as well as
the planning laws. The most common land use problems appearing based on the
Master Plan in this interview was pointed out as the developments who takes place
outside of Master Plan covered areas and these problems is reported to the custodian
Authority of the Master Plan to be corrected. The professional of land use
monitoring and evaluation told that he wished to solve the problems by putting in
place a law that shall give Rwanda Land Management and Use Authority the power
to undo illegal development outside the Master Plan covered area and to approve
the Master Plan developments by different institutions. He tells us that there is
awareness of illegal land use change going on in Rwanda right now and some of
them he is able to record. These sort of problems gives a constantly feeling of
ineffectiveness because of the lack of the right to require demolition of illegal houses
or other infrastructures, the question in how this can be handled by review the land
use planning law and law establishing to have that power is currently on the table.
The effects of these illegal changes of land use leads to catastrophic consequences
and example of this is described in this interview, he explains what can and often is
the follow up of when the Ministry loose fertile land for the profit of unplanned
settlements that harms the environment, that causes disasters during heavy rain
seasons. This, he wish to reduce by emphasizes the existing land use planning law
that explain procedures of planning land use change and to give Rwanda’s Land
Management and Use Authority the power to require demolition of illegal land use
change. The biggest cause of disputes in the land use planning process is pointed out
as a lack of knowledge combined with government issues for implementers. When
the Master Plan and the land use planning isn´t followed correctly, problems arise at
implementation level because they don’t have sufficient knowledge and means like
software such as computers, the right measurement equipment to read the Master
Plan shapefiles. Combined with this and that they usually is under pressure from the
local authorities to accept the illegal land use changes makes is hard to provide this
correctly. To protect valuable agriculture some of them have been mapped and
there been given out guidelines of protection issued, but for urban plans, rural
settlements plans that should implement the National Land Use Development
Master plan, guidelines isn’t followed.
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